Web Fonts I Look Forward To Using
The present & future of web fonts is looking awfully bright. Quality and Quantity are increasing, though there are still a few fonts I have to pass over when designing for the web. While I don’t know if all of these are in the pipeline to become web fonts, I have to believe that all type foundries are moving in that direction so that their fonts remain useful. It’s important to note that this shouldn’t be read as a “what’s the holdup” post. Creating high quality web fonts is no simple task. The only thing worse than a font you can’t use on the web is one that can be used but renders poorly.
Case in point: I recently replaced Futura served by an unnamed service with the relatively new Futura PT from ParaType served via Typekit. There was a significant improvement in tracking as well as rendering. Here’s a short, non-comprehensive list of fonts I’d love to put on a webpage.
I love House Industries. Neutraface & United have both been long time favorites of mine, recently used here, here and here. Happily, the FAQ on their site mentions that a subset of the collection will be available in October of 2011.
Another foundry that is working to make their fonts available is Hoefler & Frere-Jones. I love Tungsten but am particularly interested in using Vitesse & Forza for both headline and paragraph text.
Archive type makes me giddy, and their Archive Steeler looks fantastic on Andy McMillan, Jez Burrows, and Carolyn Wood’s latest project, The Manual. I also like Archive Antique Extended.
Ardoise from Typofonderie is a workhorse. Taking all the styles, widths and weights into account, you’ve got 45 options in the family. I also quite like Le Monde Courrier, which is already a web font.
Stag, another workhorse, is a unique slab serif with lots of companion families: sans, dot stencil, and sans-rounded. I dig them all.
Mark Simonson created Proxima Nova, a web font we use on the Paravel website. He also created a really nice script font called Lakeside. There’s something about it that just really jives with me, especially the alternate, extra-large titling caps.
Dispatch from Font Bureau comes in 16 styles, and I bet I could find a use for all of them starting with Extended Bold.
23 Responses
Leave a comment or contact me via Twitter @TrentWalton
Oh web fonts, how I love thee.
Being able to use Vitesse on a web site would be so badass.
Have to agree with Futura PT—using it via Typekit on my site and it renders really well.
Thanks for sharing man, lovely fonts :)
Right there with you awaiting Archive Steeler, would make life much easier.
Thanks for the mention, mate!
Thanks for the shout out, Trent. Web versions of both Vitesse and Forza are in the cards — now to finish the site!
@Andy McMillan: All those Archive fonts are insanely fun. When I saw that Steeler was being used for The Manual I thought timeless artifact.
@Jonathan Hoefler: Don’t mention it! The sneak peak of Forza I got at Brooklyn Beta is still fresh in my mind :)
Really beautiful fonts! Where do you find new fonts Trent? Do you just follow certain foundries?
Beautiful collection!
I cannot wait for H&FJ to break out the web fonts!
Also I wonder how long it’ll be until Kris Sowersby gets web versions of Metric & Calibre — http://klim.co.nz/ they are both so sick.
I love the retro feel of Archive Steeler and the Archive Antique Extended fonts. They leave a strong impression on those simple sites.
Fantastic roundup Trent. I think I’m in love with Neutraface.
nice collection, really makes me jump into a new design immediatly. as paul sprangers asked above, where do you find new fonts, would love to find out how.
@Paul Sprangers & @Tom Nußbaum: I definitely have favorite foundries that I follow. Alongside that, lots of bookmarking and time spent finding the right fonts for certain projects. Because type plays a huge role in what we design for the web, I think any time invested in searching & learning about fonts is completely justified. I frequent Typedia and Typographica and I Love Typography.
Wow, Stag, what a headline font. Love it.
It’s good to see these fonts getting special attention for the web. Beautiful selection Trent.
Spot on list. It’s a shame House’s Eames won’t really hold up onscreen.
Until Archive Antique Extended is released, hellenic wide does a great job.
http://typekit.com/fonts/hellenic-wide
I currently use an app from fonts.com which allows the use of up to 10,000 fonts pulled from their server so works on every computer. They are also selectable and readable by search engines.
Fantastic selection.
I am searching for examples where the Stag font is used on websites. Anyone?
Nice fonts choice but I think you are blind or you don’t have nothing to do with proportions and sizes. Why on earth you have all your web content oversized? for example all the text in your page... it looks like a 10 years old boy designed this page =)
I vote ILIE for most uninformed criticism of the day.
Love the look of both Forza and Stag, by the way.
@Thomas: I use Stag all over my site.
I love Futura PT. It looks kinda weird in long form body copy though.
Great article. I’ve been dying to use Neutraface and United myself.
Stag is used by surf brand Rip Curl.
http://live.ripcurl.com/